The St. Louis Blues’ Take on the Rivalry, the Weather, and St. Louis’ Reputation as a Hockey Town

St. Louis Blues Goalie Jake Allen makes a glove save during a game between the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues on November 17, 2016.

Paul Stastny, Center

“St. Louis–Chicago in any sport, the hate never goes away. I think everyone knew that if there ever were a Winter Classic here, it’d have to be against Chicago.”

Alex Pietrangelo, Defenseman

“I’m a huge baseball fan, so the opportunity to do what I love in the setting for the sport I love to watch is going to be pretty cool… I grew up with a rink in my backyard, so playing outside will be nothing new… This is going to be a big opportunity to show off the city—anyone who watches our games should know we’re a hockey town.”

Jake Allen, Goalie

“You never know what kind of weather we’re going to get. It could present a bit of a challenge, but for a lot of us who’ve never played outdoors, it’s pretty exciting. It’s going to be an exciting time in our city. Having the Blackhawks here just adds a little bit of fuel to the fire.”

Brett Hull, Executive Vice President; Blues Right Wing, 1987–1998

“I was never a rivalry guy. I always said the rivalries were the two best teams. But the fans have always thought of [the Blues–Hawks] as a rivalry, which brings that atmosphere… The players might be a little in awe, seeing 40,000 or 60,000 people. But once the puck drops, it’s just another game.”

Keith Tkachuk, Blues Left Wing, 2001–2006

“The whole Chicago–versus–St. Louis rivalry—it’s a lot of bad blood. One game at the United Center, we had four fights within the first six or seven minutes… At the Winter Classic, you’re going to be playing in one of the greatest ballparks. Then you bring in that big rival—and their fans travel in packs. It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Ken Hitchcock, Head Coach

“There was no Blues–Blackhawks rivalry until last year. You can talk all you want, but we had to win a [playoff] series for it to be a rivalry. We won a series, so now it’s a rivalry… One of the problems that happens with home teams during the Winter Classic is they’re wrapped [up] in the event and forget about the competition. We’ve got to strike that balance between family and friends and competition.”